AS Monaco: Unique Forever

A Positive Image

“We have the most positive image in French football,” Mr Vasilyev said of the results of a survey conducted by the French league using images of its clubs.

“We have our own base of supporters but we are also seen as a second club for other fans – so for instance you could be an Arsenal fan but also a fan of AS Monaco. We’re something different, we have this positive image and this is good for the brands that work with us.

“Nike appreciates us a lot because, yes, Paris has all the big stars but Monaco is a destination for young talent. This is, for the sports company, the place that nurtures young talent and this is a club that has a very positive image around the world.”

Building the commercial base around this positivity is the domain of marketing and communications director, Bruno Skropeta who joined the club in 2013 from PSG. Over the last 3 years sponsorship revenues have increased by 50% and work on developing the digital and social media platforms is helping spread the club’s fanbase across the world. The official Facebook page attracts over 5 million followers, second only to Paris Saint Germain, and on Twitter they attract just shy of 2 million followers. Not bad for a club in a country with a population of just 38,000. They have also developed an ecommerce platform for the first time allowing fans to purchase match day tickets, merchandise and replica kits online.

Mr Vasilyev continued: “Last year we had some very good results. Our jersey, for the first time in our history, sold out completely before the end of the season. This year, results on the pitch are not as good but we are doing plus 50% on last year’s jersey sales. This is great and now we sell much more online and if you look at the figures for our social media we are in the top two in France, being below PSG but above Marseille, historically the biggest club in the country.

“Our weakness of being small at an operational level is being offset with the growth of our social media and online business. Through this we will become stronger as the world of technology develops. Everybody will grow but to us we get access to many more fans and therefore it is  important to us. We can look at new markets like China. We are not there yet but we are looking at setting up partner academies because we have the knowhow and the expertise which China desperately needs today.”

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